Contemporary Ethical and Legal Issues in Health

Vocabulary terms and definitions covering human rights, medical law, and bioethical dilemmas such as euthanasia and genetic engineering.

Human Rights

Basic freedoms and protections entitled to every person regardless of race, gender, religion, or nationality.

Equality and Non-Discrimination

The principle that healthcare services should be provided without discrimination based on gender, race, disability, or HIV/AIDS stigma.

Dignity and Respect

The ethical requirement that patients must be treated respectfully regardless of their condition or status.

Participation

The principle that individuals should participate in decisions affecting their health.

Accountability

The responsibility of governments and healthcare institutions to protect health rights.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

An international instrument that recognizes health and well-being as human rights.

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)

A legal instrument that recognizes the right to the highest attainable standard of health.

Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

A document that protects children’s healthcare rights.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

A convention protecting women’s reproductive and healthcare rights.

Medical Law

The branch of law that governs professional conduct and healthcare practice.

Negligence

The failure to provide proper care resulting in harm, involving duty of care, breach of duty, injury, and causation.

Malpractice

Professional misconduct or an unreasonable lack of skill in providing care.

Assault and Battery

In a healthcare context, this may be constituted by treating a patient without their consent.

Euthanasia

The intentional ending of a patient’s life to relieve suffering.

Voluntary Euthanasia

Euthanasia performed with the consent of the patient.

Non-Voluntary Euthanasia

Euthanasia performed when the patient cannot provide consent.

Passive Euthanasia

The withdrawal of treatment or life support to end life.

Active Euthanasia

Taking direct action to end a patient's life.

Genetic Engineering

The application of altering genetic material to modify characteristics, used in treating genetic diseases or gene therapy.

Cloning

The process of producing genetically identical organisms.

Stem Cell Research

Research focused on treating degenerative diseases and tissue regeneration, often involving ethical concerns about the moral status of embryonic cells.

Steps in Ethical Decision-Making

A process involving: Identify the problem, gather info, consider principles, evaluate alternatives, make a decision, implement the decision, and review the outcome.